The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-12
MATERIAL FOR A NOVEL.
Brooklyn Times.

his wife, Catharine. They had four remarkable pretty children, the youngest, Marguerite, was a beautiful little girl but eighteen months old. She, of course, was the pet of the fam- ily.
 The father of this interesting family was hard working man and earned but small wages, barely sufficient to supply the necessaries of life. In ad- dition to this he was affected with lung trouble. He was brush maker by trade.
 Next door to the Harts lived mid- dle-aged gentleman by the name of Edward Wilder This Wilder was rich man. His East New York resi- dence he occupied only few months in summer. His winter quarters were in New York City, not far from Fifth avenue. He formerly had butcher stand in Washington market. where after years of patient labor he amassed a competence. He then retired from business. Some lucky investments in real estate made him a millionaire.
 Mir. Wilder, although passionately fond of children, had no little ones of his own. He often called upon the Hart family, and admired the little Marguerite. He had noticed the struggles of the head of the family to keep the volt from the door, and ob- served with sorrow that the poor mans strength was unequal to the tasks imposed upon it. The baby antics of the little Marguerite had also worked upon his affections, and great love for the little one arose in his heart.
 One day Mir. Hart returned from his work sick in body and mind. Des- titution stared him in the face. His rich neighbours sympathy was aroused, and, calling upon Mir. Wilder, the later made q proposition to him. He stated how he had become attached to little Marguerite, how he had noticed their circumstances, and wound up by offering to adopt the little one
 The poor man could not bring him. l self at once to let the child go and asked for time to consider the matter. i But Mir. Wilder had set his heart oil gaining possession of the little one and offered to settle an annuity upon the boys if his propositions were accepted. He also offered to divide between the boys valuable plot of land lying in the northern part oi New York State 1 He stipulated that when he should at once have possession of the child it should never again be reclaimed by its parents under any circumstances, and that Marguerite should never be made | acquainted with the fact that he was other than her own father. Quite an affecting scene ensued. The parents did not want to let the child go. but at last came to the conclusion that it was the best thing under the circum- stances and gave the child into MT. Wilder's keeping
 MT. Wilder immediately took Mar guerite to his New York establish ment, and she grew up to be very beautiful woman, admired by all. She was of the blonde type, with deep blue eyes and golden hair, and skin like alabaster. Her figure was superb. She was the belle of her set, and many were her sutors. But she had not AS yet met her affinity.
 In the summer of 1883 her father took her to Newport, where she was the acknowledged belle It was gen erally known that she was an heiress, and that, with her beauty, brought many suitors to her feet. Among them was a handsome young lieuten- ant of the United States navy. He was young man with many virtues and but few faults. He was a fre- quent attendant at divine services. They met at the church. A mutual reciprocation sprang up between the young people, and they were often seen upon the sands of Newport enjoying one another's society. They were a handsome couple, admired by all but envied by none. Society began to wisper that it was match. Society for once was right. The friend ship of the young couple in course of time ripened into warmer feeling, and one beautiful moonlight night the young man rose to the occasion and the inevitable "proposal" was made. Marguerite had been expecting this for some time, but, like dutiful daughter, asked for time to consider her answer, and in the meantime re- ferred the whole matter to her father. Her reasons for so doing were that she was an heiress and he was conn., paratively poor. People would look upon this as a misalliaDce. She was not sure but that her supposed father might also.
 MT. Wilder listened attentiveiy to Marguerite's story, and at the conclu- sion he smiled, and, clasping her to his bosom, kissed her, at the same time assuring her that if he found the young man's character and anteced- ] ents to be satisfactory, his poverty 1 need be DO bar to the consummation 1